Dino-adventure

Yesterday saw me break routine and actually go out somewhere with Paige in the middle of the day. Amazing. And we even ventured onto public transport again without promise of assistance -- double amazing.

Our Thursday adventure was an outing to the Natural History Museum with friend Liz and her two kids, 4 and 1. The adventure was made even more adventurous by the fact neither of us had working mobiles... so we had to plan *in advance* where we'd meet... and then be there *at that time*. Or wait.

Funnily enough, both of us were indeed at the right place at the right time -- and yet we STILL missed each other. Luckily after about 15 minutes of hanging and wandering inside and out the main entrance, we did connect. Phew.

The main beneficiary of our outing was Amelia, the 4-year-old, who's a real dino-phile. I'm not sure how much Paige took in, but she seemed to have a smiley day, and even napped a bit after lunch, so I think more adventures are in store. We only saw the dinosaurs at the museum -- there's only so much museum-going two moms + 3 small children can do -- but it was impressive. Much nicer than I'd remembered, and a scarily realistic animatronic Tyrannosaurus Rex thrown in for fun. (well, I say realistic -- it's not like anyone's ever *seen* a T-Rex, all I've got to go on is Jurassic Park and Walking with Dinosaurs...)

As for me, the most exciting part of the day came on the ride home -- when on the tube Paige started playing 'peekaboo' with the museum map. I'd been holding it in front of my face, and pulling it away, and then gave it to her to hold for a little while. I fully expected it to go straight into her mouth... but instead she just held it, turning it over and back a few times. I then noticed she started putting it in front of her face, and then pulled it above her head -- just like peekaboo. Yay Paige!! If only I'd had a video. And of course she's not repeated it since... Ah well -- more tricks to come, I'm sure...

Look Mom!

In the past couple of weeks, Paige has been getting increasingly mobile -- to the point where I can only leave her a few minutes, otherwise who knows where she might end up. For example, yesterday I was in the kitchen, and I left her sitting quietly on her playmat, babbling to herself. I'd look in every minute or two, and she'd still be in essentially the same place. Until... I looked once more, and she'd managed to roll 5 - 6 feet away, to tangle herself under the chair.

My guess is she aimed for the chair for another new favourite game -- pulling herself up to stand. She's allllmost got it, but not quite, unless the conditions are just right. Like in her crib -- the top rail and side bars, along with overall stability make it a perfect pull-me-up. I'm a bit scared at the number of things around this flat that are less than stable, however. We definitely need to do some child-proofing, and soon!

[but no, Mom, you won't need stair gates for our visit; she's not that quick -- yet!]

What is wrong with this picture?

 

Ok, look again. Look closely. Now check the date the sale happens, with the date the e-mail was sent to me.

Yep, thanks NFL UK -- way to build an audience. Not that I necessarily would've gone -- but as I'm not the time traveller's wife, nor a time traveller myself, receiving this e-mail nearly 24 hours late, meant I'm definitely not going to be able to purchase tickets.

Happy 9 months Paige

When do you stop quoting months for a child's age? Is it at about 2 years? I know plenty of people who say their child is '21 months', '19 months', etc... but not a lot of '27 months'. I can't seem to remember when I stopped with the weeks calculation -- maybe about 5 - 6 months. Saying she's '37 weeks' just sounds a bit odd.

Her most recent achievement is the faceplant. She's trying soooo hard to crawl but is just. not. quite. there.  She starts from a sitting position, leans incredibly far forward until she's perched on both hands, one knee, and the other leg splayed out to the side. Slowly, slowly, with great determination, she manages to pull that other leg in, and for a split second she's balanced on hands and knees. Unfortunately, this is where it all starts to go wrong... after wobbling in this position for a few seconds, she decides to make her move. Which is often both hands launching forward at the same time as her back legs slide flat. Which equals face plant. Which also equals frustrated Paige... I know I shouldn't laugh - but her determination is so cute.  I wish I had a video of it, but of course the second I get the camera out it's too late!

Will she be crawling properly by the time we get to Vermont in only THREE WEEKS??

Tea and races

Busy busy weekend for a change -- venturing into central London both Saturday and Sunday, amazing.

Saturday was a girlie afternoon outing -- helping friend Carmen indulge in some 'me' (well, 'us') time before the arrival of Carmenette later this month. Five of us descended on the Langham's Palm Court to enjoy an afternoon tea of deliciously wicked cakes and devilishly delectable sandwiches (salmon, cucumber, roast beef... hold the crusts, natch). And don't forget about the scones, and the Palm Court's special cupcakes. Er, and some tea to drink as well -- though a bit superflous really. Groan... And yet I was still able to eat dinner later that night. Fancy that.

An unexpected treat of the day was spying on what looked to be a gorgeous and glamorous wedding -- the cermony was held in All Soul's Church across the road from the hotel, and the reception in the hotel's Grand Ballroom, so we were able to see the whole fantastically dressed party make their way through the lobby. The bride had a lovely, close fitting ivory lace gown, and the bridesmaids were in dusty rose. In addition, a group of about 8 - 10 older women were in vibrant fuschia and gold raw silk African dress, lending an even more joyous air to the occasion. Ah... I love weddings!

Sunday was an altogether healthier affair, as I took place in my first post-Paige running event: the Adidas 5k Women's Challenge in Hyde Park. I've done this race almost every year since it started in 1998, so it's got plenty of sentimental import for me. And this year was no different, with the special treat of both husband and baby at the finish line. I actually got a bit choked up nearing the end, thinking of Paige waiting, and hoping to do her proud (not of course that she had a clue what was going on.) That -- and thinking of Ashley's encouragement as well -- spurred me to sprint when I saw the finish line, meaning I completed the race in 30:09. Not my best time, but pretty close. And considering my limited training, and the hordes of walkers who'd started in the wrong wave I had to pass, I was pretty happy.

Unfortunately, I was concentrating so hard on those last few hundred metres, I never saw aforementioned husband and baby... but knowing they were there was (almost) good enough. And there's always next year!

Still growing

Took Paige for her 8 - 10 month 'developmental' check up today. Although they'll weigh your baby at any time (well, any time the well baby clinic is open, so any of 3 1/2 hours of the week), they'll only measure said baby at prescribed intervals: 6 - 8 weeks, 8 - 10 months, and, er, I think 2 1/2 years. Other than that you're on your own.

I also thought they were supposed to check developmental milestones, but really didn't know what to expect. And after the weigh-in (19 1/2 pounds -- 75th percentile), and measure-in (72.5cm -- 98th!), all the Health Visitor did was ask 'So, how's she doing'? Well, she looks fine to me, but isn't that part of your job Ms H V to tell me how she's doing? What do I know, she's the only baby I have; I've got relatively little to compare her to!

To be fair, she did ask a few other questions: 'Is she standing with help, is she rolling, (er, do you mean off the bed? yep, she passed that milestone a while back!), is she saying da-da-da-da, ba-ba-ba-ba (yes on the da, no on the ba... does that make her a half-wit?)... but that was about it for the 'check-up'.

Ah well, as long as she keeps up the giggles I'm not worried!

Separated by a common language

Once again, I am surpised at the differences between the American and English languages. So close, and yet... Case in point: What would you call this:
If you're American, I'm thinking you'll guess crib. Nope. Over here it's a cot. Or technically a cot-bed, which I think is marginally larger than a cot, and can convert into a bed. Isn't a cot a bed, you ask? Y'know, those narrow things you sleep on at camp? Er, I guess not.

For some reason, a crib is only the smaller version you put a newborn in. Not to be confused with the reaaally small one, which would be called a Moses basket, which some newborns get instead. Eek.

What I really don't understand is how in a few hundred years our language has diverged in such random spots. Presumably little babies of English emigrants to America slept in something -- and it was called the same thing on both sides of the pond. And yet at some stage, when production and naming of said items were being standardised (the industrial era?), the English decided on crib to cot, and Americans said hey, crib's enough for us. Unless it's a small rocking one, in which case we'll use cradle. Which, as far as I can tell, isn't in regular use in the UK.

Augh!! See -- I will be raising a bilingual child!

Happy 2/3 Birthday Paige!

Yep, 2/3 of the year gone, slowly creeping towards that all exciting 1st Birthday... I must say, that as each successive month becomes a smaller percentage of her life to date, the developmental changes get a little less frequent. As such, fewer new things since the last partial birthday update... but what she can do, she can do better! (no you can't, yes I can, no you can't, yes I can, yes I can, yes I caaaaaaaaaaan!)

Like - sitting up... Paige is pretty sturdy, but I'm still not quite ready to leave her sitting without some sort of back up, be it my leg, a pillow, etc. And she shows relatively little inclination for figuring how to sit up herself -- not sure when that will happen.

And teeth... same old, same old -- lots of drooling, as usual, but nothing visible. Yet. Like mother, like daughter I guess!

Crawling? Er, no. Talking? Nothing recognisable. Food -- yep, lots, but nothing new. Enough to bring her to 19 pounds, so despite all that appears to come out, some of it must be sticking.

We did reach a milestone this weekend, however... we've finally turned the pram around. Sigh. I know it's good for her to see more of the big wild world -- but I already miss smiling and chatting at her (because I wouldn't say I'm chatting *with* her yet) as we stroll.

Saturday Outing

Had a lovely weekend, starting with an afternoon off on Saturday while Ashley looked after the little princess. After a somewhat rainy lunch in a nevertheless super-crowded Borough Market, Nadia (Ashley's colleague Gerhard's wife) and I headed to the Menier Chocolate Factory. No longer making delectable sweet treats, it's now a cosy theatre and restaurant.

Playing at the moment is a fun revue, Forbidden Broadway which skewers current -- and not so current! -- musicals left and right. Among my favourites was the big pre-intermission number, '10 Years More', about the ever-running Les Mis; another was 'Gotta Have a Puppet', covering Avenue Q, the Lion King, and, er, one more show that has puppet-type gimmicks.

The parodies flew thick & fast, from 'Andrew Lloyd, TV Star' (Jesus Christ, Superstar tune, all the rest covered as well) and 'It's All Camp' (Hairspray, Legally Blond, Priscilla'); Wicked, Chicago, and even Annie got it as well.

Funnily enough, one of the women in the 4-person cast reeeeally reminded me of Bernadette Peters, but when they did an homage to Sondheim (Sunday in the Park, Into the Woods, and, er, another), it was the other actress who specifically said 'I'm Bernadette Peters'. Ah well.

Fortunately even if I haven't seen all of the shows they covered, I knew enough to get most of the jokes. Though will have to check out what 'Spring Awakening' is all about... seems to be quite scandalous, as it was compared to Equus and Hair in terms of pushing things on stage! (Though checking out the link, it appears to have closed -- wonder how long it will last in FB then?)

Wild Child

Pretty interesting article by Michael Chabon in The New York Review of Books a few weeks ago: The Wilderness of Childhood. Relatively oft-repeated lament, that our children are growing up much more protected than in the good ol' days, with parental fear replacing common sense, despite the fact that stranger-danger has remained fairly consistent (and low) for decades.

And it's true -- I rarely if ever see children walking to school without a parent, or playing on the Green out front without adult supervision. So different from my day (oh, cast my mind back into the eons ago) where I got myself to school from age 5 (right mom?) whether by foot or bus. And I certainly remember riding my bike all over (admittedly small) Durham, NH, especially to the library and swimming pool.

Those were my adventures, as Chabon characterises those adult-less forays. But what I found most thought-provoking about his article is not so much the fact children are more protected these days, but how it might affect literature of the future. As so much story telling is based around adventures and journeys, what happens when the writers of tomorrow have no experience of adventuring themselves today?

As a parent, now, though... how much adventuring will I let Paige do? I'd like to think I'll be laid back about her wanders... but imagine that's unlikely to be the case as I watch her every (eventual) step.

Weekend adventures

This Sunday, with Ashley's cousin Deb and kids, we ventured into London via a less frequently used method of transport these days -- boating down the River Thames. Less frequently used, because it takes 50% longer, only makes 2 - 3 trips / day, and costs about 3 times as much. But the trade-off is a gentle journey and a different perspective on London -- never a bad thing.

We went as far as Westminster (well, we would've gone further, but that's where the boat stops), Elbows out for protection, we somehow made it through the massive crowds near the London Eye, Aquarium, and Dali Museum (huh? I always wonder what that's doing in London...) to one of my favourite spots -- the Southbank Centre.

As part of its latest exhibition -- "Walking in my mind" -- the Hayward Gallery on Southbank has decorated the nearby trees with polka-dot wraps. And passers-by have decorated the trees. We were encouraged to do so ourselves by a little girl signing her name... and so we did. And then I saw the next sign... oh well - at least we weren't the first.

As far as legal interactive art goes, we also participated in the Southbank Summer Snapshot booth -- so now Paige, Ashley & I are recorded for all eternity. Or at least as long as Flickr survives...

Burn baby burn...

Huh. Turns out there's no law against bonfires in Richmond, no matter how residential your area may be.

Why do I know this? Yesterday was a lovely sunny day, so we had most of the windows in the flat open. About 2:30, I noticed a burning smell -- which we first thought was the regular weekend barbecue in the pub next door. But I quickly realised it was a much stronger, less meaty smell... and that's when I noticed the smoke - and lots of it. And realised the smell had completely filled our little flat, of course Paige's room most of all.

Turns our our other side neighbour was having a little bonfire. Full of righteous indignation (is there any other kind?) I thought 'This cannot possibly be legal!', at the same time wondering if I would have the nerve to call any sort of nuisance patrol, and risk neighbourly tension.

But turns out, though the firestarted did not 'give neighbours advance notice' as required, I don't think I'd have a case.

Fortunately it stopped early enough for me to open the windows again and air the place out before bed.

Funny thing is - I actually quite like bonfires... but my preference for them is on a crisp Autumn evening, out in the countryside somewhere -- not invading my flat! Then again, I do keep telling Ashley we don't really live in London -- and here's the proof.

Secret Starbucks

What the? Starbucks is introducing 'unbranded' stores? 'Stealth cafes'? Starbucks, Starbucks, Starbucks... I love ya, but just don't see how this will work.

People who like Starbucks will go to you whatever branding you've got. People who *don't* like Starbucks may go once, but if they find out the 15th Avenue Tea & Coffee is actually the evil empire of coffee, they're not only unlikely to come back, it will just reinforce the idea of a sneaky company, doing whatever it can to capture sales.

And as for the bit about these stores being more community focused -- erm, can't Starbucks do that anyway? How does the corporate branding and Starbucks name impede having local poetry readings or other events and activities specific to the area? The good Starbucks do those things already -- like one near us that has a special children's play area and hosts mother & baby groups.

Finally, from a financial standpoint, I can't imagine these little local cafes are scalable -- there will be no economies to be gained from rolling out this concept in cities across the country / world. So each one will be similar to launching a brand new cafe, which needs to build a brand new customer base, with brand new design and brand new brand. Or they'll replicate the idea from place to place, which will make them, um, another Starbucks. So much for the local stealth idea.

As a Starbucks lover, I hope I'm wrong... but this just doesn't seem the best way to go.

PS -- any Seattlites reading this (and I can think of 2), can you send me a picture of any of these new cafes when they open, if you happen to find one, hidden as they are?

Ligyrophobia?

That's a fear of loud noises, by the way, at least according to The Phobia List. And I think Paige may be a ligyrophobe... She's never been particularly found of the garbage disposal, so we tend to run it in short bursts, and try to do it when she's out of the room, or when one of us can be giving her a cuddle at the same time.

Well, today I learned the vacuum cleaner is another no-no. And before you say 'Hey - she's 7 months old! Does that mean this is the first time you've vacuumed in 7+ months?' I'll let you know that *yes* I have vacuumed in that time! But always when Paige has been out on a walk with Ashley. And in fact I was *going* to vacuum yesterday afternoon, but decided to accompany daddy and daughter on their walk (aka, Starbucks run) for a change.

So hmm -- guess that means no more vacuuming for me. Shame. At least until Paige is a little older and I can send her out on walks by herself.

What demographic am I in?

I read today that Facebook is introducing more targeting tools for advertisers. I'm all for that -- I really don't mind seeing ads on a free service, especially if they're actually for things I might be interested in.

I'm hoping that targeting isn't fully in place yet, however... otherwise I wonder what my profile says about me that I just received *this* ad!

Time to up my game

Hmm... my infinitely wittier, well-read, interestingly-opinionated and altogether more erudite brother-in-law now has a blog. Must up my game. Write more. And get some opinions somewhere. Or at least do some things worth opining on. (On which I feel worthy of opining?)

Paige's new baby group

It's a bit hard to see, because everyone moves around quite a bit, but Paige is in the back on the right...

Thanks Nana!!

Thanks very much Nana for these very cute pants, made by hand with love. And I think Paige's keister is about the only place that doesn't get sticky banana-sweet potato-pea-carrot goop on it whenever she eats, so the lovely handiwork should stay clean!

Where did 6 months go??

Phew! Thank goodness it didn't rain this past Saturday -- the date set for the "Can-you-believe-they're-six-months-already" picnic. Five of the six couples who started NCT classes last November as twosomes (with bumps) met up in Kew Gardens as trios. We found the shadiest spot possible, spread our many blankets, and ate far too much food (with still plenty of leftovers -- isn't that always the way).

The babies were (mostly) happy and playful, and relatively easy to manage. If we have another picnic next summer, I imagine no more relaxing on blankets -- rather we'll all be chasing every which way. And a group photo will be even more difficult to capture!

Not that it was particularly easy to get a great shot of all of them now -- sure, they'll all lie there. But look at the camera? All 5 at the same time? Hmm... This photo is the best shot I think; I've also attached the 'Making of...' video!

(Babies l to r)
Paige (well, duh - no idea what she's doing here); Zack (Nathalie & John's); Oscar (Juliet & Nick's); Evie (Helen & Andrew's); Ben (Katrina & Phil's)

Jumptastic!

A million thank-yous to Janelle for Paige's new favourite toy, the Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo. Given how active Paige is, we had a feeling she'd like it -- but it was good to see theory in action. She LOOOOOOVES it -- the photo and video can only convey about 1% of how much.

Now we just need to convince her to stop growing for a while, so she doesn't outgrow it too quickly!

Cheep Cheep

According to the Economist, chickens are the new thing... Of course, Lucy could've told them that already!

What a difference a day makes!

Well, a couple of days... only 2 days ago, Paige could only sit up with support -- and today? Look mom, no hands! OK, so she can only stay up for about 10 - 15 seconds, but today 15 seconds, tomorrow who knows?!

Happy 1/2 Birthday Paige

OMG, cannot believe it's been nearly 2 months since I've posted anything -- belated birthday resolution: must do better!

And will start by saying Happy Half-Birthday Paige. So that's where my posting time's gone! Recent accomplishments of the nearly 16-pound darling:
--eating (ish) real food... likes: apple, banana, peach, pear; dislikes: broccoli, peas, vegetables of all sorts
--turning over from front to back. Occasionally, that is, when she can remember where to move her arm.
--sitting up, nearly. Sooooo close...

erm -- looks like she's got a bunch of almost and nearly-theres.... guess that means I'd better post more regularly, to keep those updates coming.

And here's what a difference 6 months makes...

Hair today, gone tomorrow

If only these hair bands had existed when I was a baby -- no more taping bows onto my fuzzy head. Although I am a teeny bit suspicious that there are no photos in the gallery (am I missing something), and the how-to instructions are illustrated with photos of a doll. I can't imagine Paige sitting still for the styling, and definitely not the hair spray!

Maybe we'll just wait for her to acquire hair the old-fashioned way...

Happy 1/3 Birthday Paige!

Yep, 4 months have gone by, amazing. Even more amazing when I compare pictures from those first weeks with today.

I think my favourite thing about her getting older is every day discovering new things she's learned... in the past few weeks, she's started grabbing for toys (which go straight into her mouth, assuming a pacifier's not there already), and she's able to hold her head a bit more when on her stomach for tummy time. She's also begun to blow bubbles and make raspberry sounds -- supposedly on the way to talking (and if she's anything like her mom, once she starts, that's it for us all!)

Even more fun is finding out the little things that make her laugh... like for some reason, she goes crazy with giggles if you make snorting noises at her. And today I discovered that if I have her on my knees while I do sit ups, she laughs almost every time I pull myself up to look at her -- but only if I count the sit up at the same time. Now there's an incentive to exercise!

So happy 4 months Paige, here's looking forward to the many changes that will happen over the next 4!!

If I won the lottery...

... sure I'd get the house, travel, etc... but THIS would be my frivolous purchase. I can't explain why, but I love, Love, LOVE this bag.

Have passport, will travel!

Paige's passport came today, complete with bruiser convict photo... I cannot believe THIS is what she'll be travelling with for the next 5 years. Of course, we still need to get her a US one -- maybe that will look a tiny bit more like her!

Happy Mum's Day! (UK style)

To my wonderful mother -- I heard this story about later-in-life Bat Mitzvahs on NPR, and thought of you. I'm still so proud of your efforts (at much younger than 91!), and so happy I was able to be there to support you Mom!

Sitcom Map

Saw this the other day, thanks DanMeth.com... clearly there's a gap in the market for a sitcom based in the Montana/Wyoming/Idaho area. Possibly an adopted-at-birth, raised-on-the-upper-West-Side man is disowned by his parents, and comes to live with his newly-discovered neo-Nazi militia brother, and hilarious wacky odd-couple-esque adventures ensue...

Happy 1/4 Birthday Paige

Wow -- we've made it to 3 months. And amazingly enough, things are actually getting into a little more of a routine, just as everyone says. What changes have we racked up over the past 3 months?

• Nearly doubling in size -- at last weigh in, over a week ago, Paige tipped the scales at 11 1/2 pounds... she must be hitting near 12 by now
• Much more focusing of the eyes -- especially when she looks at her parents, which of course melts their hearts
• Smiling, smiling and more smiling -- which results in more heart melting -- though we do have a difficult time capturing this on camera (the smiling, not the heart melting)
• Cooing, gurgling, and other adorable baby noises -- I'll miss them once they turn into real words like 'I WANT' or 'NO!'
• And the most recent accomplishment? More sleep -- yay! It's only been a few days, but we're getting 5 - 7 hour stretches each night, which should only get more frequent (I hope).

So not bad, and only more exciting advances to come over the next 3 -- can't wait!

Say cheese!

Yesterday's grand adventure? Getting Paige her passport photos -- this little girl is definitely going to be an international jetsetter, so need to get her a passport ASAP.

According to British Passport Service rules, for a baby, the eyes don't have to be open, but it does need to be face forward, and with both ears showing. And Mom cannot be in the picture -- not even a few fingers propping Baby in place. Hmm... how to achieve this with a not-quite-3-month-old who can't even hold her head up?

Luckily, our friendly neighbourhood Snappy-Snaps is all prepared for baby shots, and it turned out to be much easier than expected. They have a little white pillow head rest -- you just lay the baby's head on the pillow and get out of the shot, holding up the rest of the body underneath. They then take the photo from overhead.

And as you can see from the photo, it worked a treat. And like all passport photos, it doesn't look anything like her. And it will look even less like her as she uses it over time -- as I understand, this passport will be good until her 5th birthday... I'm thinking her appearance may have changed a bit by then!

Incredible growing baby

OK, it may not be incredible that a baby is growing. I guess really that's what said baby is supposed to be doing, what with all that feeding and sleeping. But still -- it seems pretty amazing that just on milk Paige can nearly double in size in 10 weeks. As of today, she's 5.05 kg (or 11 lb 2 oz for you imperialists)

To see what almost doubling in size looks like -- the picture on the left is at about 2 weeks; on the right is today...

Same great taste??

Starbucks selling instant coffee?? What the??? If it's as good as Starbucks, then why buy the real stuff. And if it's not, how can it possible help the company to sell an inferior product?

Howie, Howie, Howie... how can this be restoring Starbucks to its original glory?

Reading list

I finally got around to reading the December 2005 (eek - I'm a little behind) issue of the Swarthmore Bulletin, and found an article about the 'Essential Reading' for every Swarthmore student... Looks like I need to go back -- 4 years at Swat and I only managed 3 from the list. (Pride & Prejudice, Lord of the Rings, and Stephen Jay Gould's Burgess Shale, in case anyone's wondering...)

Pinksplosion

When did it become impossible to buy baby girl clothes in anything but pink?? I don't remember what I wore as a baby (er, what I was dressed in) but I've certainly seen pictures of little-girl me, in all shades of orange, yellow, greens (well - it was the 70's, after all). I even remember a red plaid pant suit. But no pink.

But today - that's all there is... As you can see in this photo of all the clothes we've bought/received for Paige so far... aside from a little beige and white -- it's pink, pink and more pink.

A few recent articles have been highlighting this, thanks to PR efforts around the book Toxic Childhood. I especially like the nugget from the BBC that pink used to be for boys because it is 'a more decided and stronger colour'. Is pink inherently bad? No, of course not. And if you truly like pink, hey, great, go for it. But how boring is a world where 50% of the population is marked out by one and only one colour? What happened to variety?

And of course, as a non- girly-girl myself... why does it have to be pink?

Books into art

If I could afford real, proper, grown-up art, this is the sort of thing I'd buy. Su Blackwell turns books into intricately cut paper sculptures -- unlike anything I've seen. A few of her pieces were displayed at the V&A recently as part of their Blood on Paper exhibit. V&A? Books? Books as modern art?? My kind of trifecta!

Public transport travails

Finally took Paige on public transport yesterday -- tube and bus -- and must say, it takes military planning. Not only are you faced with the normal baby-related stuff (pack enough nappies, possible change of clothes, when/where will you be able to feed, etc...) but you also need to consider which stations (if any) are stroller-accessible.

You'd think in this age of disability-awareness, all would be (if a station is wheelchair accessible, then it's buggy-friendly as well) but no such luck. So to get to the hospital for her appointment, I needed to change lines just to make sure that when I got to Earl's Court station, I was on the line that has the lift (Piccadilly), not the one with the stairs (District.).

And according to this news release, only about a sixth of the tube stations are accessible - and they're on track to have 1/4 accessible by 2010. That's ridiculous! And looking at the map, most of the accessible stops are suburban -- making any central London visits a challenge at best.

Hmm... I wonder what other big-city subway accessibility is like... And in the meantime, buses are definitely the way to go.

Merry Christmas!!

O'bama

Caught this song on tv this morning -- a little late, but made me laugh!

First outing

It took us 8 days, but we've finally made it out of the house. (to be fair, the first few days we were in the hospital, so that doesn't count).

Yep, it was time to leave the cozy home nest, and venture into the big bad world. Or perhaps not so bad -- fittingly enough for a baby with at least a little Seattle in her blood, where else could we make our first stroll but to Starbucks. Double tall skinny wet latte please. Er, and one for mom as well.

No, no, no -- but in time, it will be babycinos all around!

*ps -- the pram is actually red, but this picture was taken with my not-so-great camera phone

Statistics gone mad...

Amusing Frank Deford piece on stupidest statistics on NPR. Well, I guess they need to find something to put on the Jumbotron...

Baby classes

We had our first NCT class this Saturday. 5 sessions with other local first-time parents, trying to give us a better idea of what to expect for the birth... and beyond, for when you take this strange little creature home and have to look after it. Eek.

Five weeks to go, though (if all goes according to schedule) and we're slowly getting organised. We've got the car seat - thanks Cat! - and a crib - thanks Jon & Julie! - and even a rocking chair. And I think the baby monitor is powerful enough to stretch to the pub next door (thanks Margot!) And thanks to the fabulous shower 2 weeks ago, complete with suprise appearance (thanks Mom!) we've got books, toys, clothes, and an heirloom-to-be handmade blanket (thanks thanks thanks Stephanie!). Just a few more practicalities and we'll be set. Then it's just sit back and wait time. And wait. And wait!

Stitchery Show

After an incredibly busy couple of weeks, it was great to be able to take off Friday and make my semi-annual pilgrimage to the Twisted Thread Knitting and Stitching Show. And to shake things up a bit, I decided to go all the way to Harrogate for this autumn's show (well, because I missed the recent London one, thanks to our lovely trip to Portugal).

While I'm not sure I'd make the 8+ hour round trip again just for the show, I will say it was a pretty good one. It seemed to have a much broader spread of needle crafts than the London shows -- though still had my favourite, Michael Powell and others I like, including Nutmeg (those 3d kits are tricky, but look fantastic).

To give my feet a rest, I also took in a workshop -- and now have a slightly better idea of how to do a patchwork quilt, however 1 hour was not *quite* enough to finish a project, even the small one the teacher started us off with. I must must must complete it at home soon - or risk a) forgetting how and b) adding yet another item to my unfinished projects file!

The most impressive part of the show -- like every year -- was the textile art exhibition -- so so so inspirational. Where do they get their ideas?!

My favourites this year? Roy and Barbara Hirst retrospective -- who do absolutely amazing stump work (also called, I learned, raised embroidery). Unfortunately I didn't have my cameras, so no photos. So meticulous.

I also enjoyed a more modern artist, Claire Moynihan, and her witty 'Moth Balls'. I don't know why, but they just grabbed my attention. Clever, beautiful, intricate -- just the sort of thing I'd love to come up with one day... when of course I begin my new career as an international textile artist. Hmm...

Baby on board

Probably the worst thing about being pregnant and working in London is the public transport commute. For some reason (British reserve? Yes, I know I'm not actually British, but I've been here long enough to acquire some local habits) I just cannot bring myself to ask for a seat. And yet, on a crowded tube, after a long day at work, that's what I want more than anything.

That same British reserve, however, is what stops people from offering seats I think. "Hmm... is she pregnant? Or just fat? I wouldn't want to insult her... so I just won't say anything at all." So I stand, and sigh, and stick my belly out to make it look more pregnant-y, not just wobbly over-eating-y. And I've even taken to wearing this somewhat embarrassing Baby on Board pin Transport for London gives out to help my case.

Of course, for any of these tactics to work, I need to at least be standing somewhere near a seat, rather than in the crush near the door. In addition, fellow passengers need to actually be looking around, rather than the usual state of eyes-in-book/paper/magazine or vacantly looking nowhere in particular.

So, I stand for a few stops, and usually manage to nab a seat at some point in the journey when something opens up. Occasionally, though, the offer does come, and is gratefully accepted. Perhaps not surprisingly, it's pretty much almost women, and usually at least 30+ I'd guess. There are still a few months left for men and yoof to prove themselves, however, so we'll see how things go until December.

But I'll certainly be standing for any pregnant women I see in the future -- er, after I'm no longer one of them, that is!

Vote Barack!

I cannot possibly keep track of all the Obama songs and videos on YouTube... but do like this one!

Sports team name puzzle

Thanks NPR for another enjoyable Sunday challenge. I only say enjoyable because it's one I managed to solve!

""Nonclassical analysis" contains eight different letters. Two of them occur once, two of them occur twice, two of them occur three times, and two of them occur four times each. Which sports team's name has this same property?"

Answers on a card, please, by Thursday 3pm. Or submit online -- you've just got to be near a phone at 3pm Thursday Eastern time.

Tiny bubbles...

I'm not sure if I should tsk-tsk or applaud the work of 'Mr Bubbles' -- who recently turned the Trafalgar Square fountains into a massive bubble bath. Ok, yes, it probably cost a little to clean it up, but it looks like it was relatively safe material (household detergents, etc), and I'm sure that if I had just happened to be walking by and saw a foamy fountain, it would've brought a smile to my face.

More Portugal photos...

Online at Flickr -- I know there should be some way to embed them here, but too tired to figure it out. Also I'm not sure why, when my photos were in order when I uploaded them, they're now all over the place... so the chronology is a bit off -- but hey, we were only there for 3 days, so it shouldn't be that confusing!

Quite interesting encounter

So, a couple weeks ago, I wandered into Stanfords, the amazing travel bookstore in Covent Garden, on the lookout for a suitable guidebook to the Algarve.

Culinary-suggestion-filled Top 10 Guide in hand, I wandered to the check out to pay for my purchase, when I realised the store seemed a bit more crowded than usual, even for a sunny Saturday afternoon. And then I realised the crowd wasn't milling about or shopping. No, they were standing. And looking. And taking pictures. All in the direction of a single man, at a desk, signing books.

Who? What? Could it be? None other than my ultimate dream dinner party guest, the erudite, self-deprecatingly pompous but never annoyingly arrogant, current QI and former Bafta presenter, raconteur, comic actor, dork, and all around national treasure that is Stephen Fry. Ok Mom, maybe not Prince William for celeb-ness, but between the two, I know who I'd rather have a real conversation with.

I promptly grabbed his most recent book, jumped in the queue, and agonised during the 25 minute wait over something suitably witty to say in my 15 second encounter. Aaaagh, the pressure. One of the assistants manning the line gave me a Post-It note on which I was to write any personalisation I requested. Double aaack! How could I possibly presume to put words in the pen of one of my idols?

But presume I did, and as I finally got to his side, I handed over the book -- a photo-heavy travelogue of his journey around all 50 US States in a black cab, companion piece to his current BBC show. And my Post-it, full of scribbles and re-writes, finally saying simply: "To Ashley & Stefanie: All 50 states, catch me if you can."

And I told him about our family state 'contest', and mumbled I felt silly telling him of all people what to write. But he was gracious despite his hours of signing (I was one of the last to go), and asked me what state I was from (probably only the 500th person he'd asked that of, as there appeared to be an American-heavy bias to the crowd), and even remarked on the spelling of my name, to ensure he got it correct.

Sadly our conversation ended there, just as we were about to become bosom buddies, and I went away smiling and clutching my prize.

I wonder if would accept my Facebook friend request? I'm sure he'd remember me -- y'know -- Stefanie-with-an-f...

PlanetWulfagar and the quest for arroz do polvo

Before heading to Portugal for a lovely long weekend (or 'babymoon', according to my brother), I found myself wondering if there were any dishes particular to Portugal. I mean, I've heard of the custard pastries in Lisbon, but main meals? Y'know, like Spain has its paella and tapas?

Fortunately I had the Top 10 Guide to the Algarve to tell me. Turns out one of the specialities of this southern coastal region is arroz do polvo -- "a regional speciality which evokes the Algarve's love affair with the sea". In other words, a bubbling stew of octopus and rice, in a garlicky tomato-y broth. And so with reading, the quest began.

And yes, in our long weekend in the eastern town of Tavira, we had sunning by the pool, wanders through a traditional market a short train ride away in Olhao, snooping round the old run down castelo (no more than walls and a garden - not exactly Edinburgh Castle, but a great view), reading, napping, and walks along the shore... but we knew the weekend woldn't be complete without that polvo!

And so on our first night, we headed to the seafront, ordered our treat at a little local spot and... were told about 10 minutes later, after munching on bread and wine, it was no go, they were all out of the popular dish. That's ok, plenty of time left. And the grilled chicken was finger lickin' good.

Friday night - take 2. A more upscale restaurant this time. And unfortunately, a little too upscale for this more peasanty fare. D'oh! (But had some yummy black pork loin... I mean, I had to eat)

Saturday, last day -- taking no chances, we opted for ordering it at lunch, at restaurant number 3, confirming it was on the menu as we entered. Or so we thought. But -- noooooo -- after placing our order we were informed that in fact the octopus wasn't fresh enough, and we wouldn't be happy. Foiled again! (Though did get to try out speciality number two, cataplana, a different sort of 'succulent seafood delight', thanks for the recommendation, Top 10)

However, as I think someone somewhere said, good things come to those who wait (and someone else said, 'an-ti-ci-pay-ay-tion'), and so we were to be rewarded in our very own last supper (of our trip at least). Back at restaurant number 1, Jaoa de Belhi... success! And definitely worth the wait.




So, great trip, great sights, and great food. And little Stashley's country count and culinary adventures continue to grow!

Where has the time gone??

Things have been manic, and I've got SOOOO much I want to write about - cricketastic weekends, including one more tea, and the annual quiz; my latest crafty girl project; how little Stashley is coming along (very nicely thank you); my recent London celebrity encounter... oh I could go on & on!

Unfortunately, I'll have to keep my extensive base of loyal readers in suspense just a leeeetle bit longer -- as I'm off to Portugal early tomorrow morning for a little sunshine and relaxation. And to generate even more adventures to not have time to write about!

Karma in action

I was delighted to for the first time be offered a seat on the very crowded Tube today -- so thanks to the woman who relinquished her seat, as I was feeling especially tired this morning, and the carriage was incredibly stuffy.

And Earl would be happy to see karma working -- another seat opened up the next stop, and she was able to sit back down again.

McCain gets Barack-Rolled

Too too funny*




*of course, more relevant if you are actually familiar with Rick rolling... um, Mom, Dad - you hip with the kids on this one?

Welcome Hugo

They say when a couple gets a dog, a baby's not long after.

Well, we've got the baby on the way -- so seemed only right to get that dog in quickly.

Therefore we wish a warm Planet Wulfagar welcome to Hugo, our new, charmingly sweet, full-size Dalmatian. And fortunately for us and our lease, Hugo is extremely well behaved. House AND outdoor trained, doesn't need any exercise, and doesn't bark. Not even a little whine or whimper.

Amazingly well brought up by his previous owners? Or maybe perhaps not entirely real? Could it be perhaps he was won at a local fun fair via 3 carefully aimed baseball throws by Ashley, which knocked all 6 cans off a shelf?

We'll never tell! (though if you come for a visit, you'll probably find out the truth for yourself...)

We did it!

So, Sunday dawned gray, and as predicted, rainy. However, the intrepid walkers made their way boldly to the park known as Hyde, prepared to do battle against the elements and crowds alike. And lo, upon arrival, the heavens cleared (well, at least the rain stopped), a clear sign that theirs was a worthy fight.

Ok, enough hyperbole. Suffice it to say, Verity and I and little one-month-old Jessica and littler minus-four-month-old Stashley made it around the very tight 5k Challenge course of the with 14,998 others (including a few Olympians and someone who looked a lot like the Queen) in a respectable time of 56:38 (pushing a pram in a crowd of thousands is *not* easy -- so well done to Verity for her talent in spotting gaps to zip ahead into). So at least we scraped in under an hour, and have a more than achievable target to beat for next year.

And we managed to enjoy a lovely chat along the way, while gathering sponsorship for a great charity. So thanks to those who donated -- and for those who didn't... now that you know I actually did the race, there's still time to contribute! ;-)

'Bliss'-ful outing

The weather forecast today? Rain, with showers and a little precipitation. Same as it's been all week and it seems all summer. (frankly I'm not sure what those little yellow lines indicate -- I do not expect any sunshine!)

Activity today? Participation in the Adidas 5k Women's Challenge. Why oh why did they ever move this run from July to September?? (not that July guarantees sun any more than September does, but it just sounds sunnier). If it weren't for the facts that...

1) I've already collected sponsorship for this, for an excellent charity, Bliss (still time to donate, even after I've run!)

2) I'm committed to entering with a good friend -- and her 1-month old baby. If *she* can do this race in the rain pushing a baby in a pram, ONE MONTH after giving birth, I can certainly do it in the rain, carrying a baby in my insides (much easier, doesn't cry yet, nothing extra to push, no diaper bag needed)

3) This is the last race of the season, and I love road races, despite my decreasing speed. And given various travel conflicts and baby protection, I've only done one other race this summer, so I can't pass on this one.

4) And finally, I've been doing this race since it started in the summer of '98, so this is my 11th Women's Challenge (those silly women, you'd think they would've cracked it by now) -- so I can't let a little rain stop me now. Plus, if I walk this one it'll give me a time to shoot for next year.

...I might be tempted to stay home!

How many calories??

The Economist* has finally written about yet another New York law to help (?) consumers avoid obesity and associated public health ills. After banning trans-fats, this January saw the introduction of mandatory calorie counts on all menu items. And it works. When I was in New York last summer, I thought I'd treat myself to a muffin. Now, I've never been one to kid myself that a blueberry muffin would be a healthy item. But 522 calories?? 522???

Er, one biscotti, please.

*Yes, it does appear that the only media I consume is the Economist and NPR podcasts... note to self: must branch out.

Productive Sunday afternoon

I definitely miss Ashley while he's away in Cinci this week (boo-hoo), but I certainly get more done around the house! (not sure if that's a good thing...)

This Sunday afternoon, with grey skies and rain thundering on the windows, was a perfect time to finally tackle my boxes/drawers/bags of myriad needlework projects in various states of completion. I'm happy to say that after some ruthless pruning I've consolidated from 4 large boxes to 3 smaller ones, mostly by tossing random leftover thread / packaging / etc. from completed kits.

I had little pangs every time I threw another handful into the trash bag -- but seriously, if I was really really going to come up with some clever use for them, I would've by now. And it's not like I don't have plenty of properly labelled, well organised floss and other equipment handy, y'know, for when inspiration strikes.

And for posterity, I've saved the photo from any kits I've completed & pasted them into a scrapbook. Er, portfolio -- that sounds a bit more professional.

Now on to that stack of old magazines!

Farewell to yearbooks

This article in the Economist regarding the decline of yearbooks is so sad!! Or so I think as a former yearbook nerd and one who has recently been going through my old high school yearbooks 20 years later.

Don't get me wrong, I'm no luddite & am all for Facebook and My Space and whatever new online (mobile? refrigerator-based?) communications tools come along. But these are great immediate tools - nothing beats flipping through real paper several years later and reliving (or re-cringing) old memories.

Plus -- wherever will young whippersnappers of tomorrow write 'You're great, stay sweet! Wish I'd known you better while we were in school!'

Another quiet weekend

An especially quiet one this time -- we headed over to Henley Saturday mid-morning, for a delightful lunch chez Agar (senior), and then Ashley headed off to play cricket for the day, leaving me sunning, napping, reading, and more napping. Bliss.

And Sunday was a little more of the same -- less the sunning. Oh, and a little less napping as well -- rather I headed out to watch Ashley play yet another day of cricket, after first stopping by the gorgeous Stonor Park grounds for the annual Craft Fair. Hmm... mostly jewellery and clothing I'd be unlikely to wear. However there were some clever crafts, my favourites being the guy who reclaims and frames prints from dilapidated childrens' books (Babar and Winnie-the-Pooh) seemed to be his speciality; and the woman who frames old postcards with glass on front *and* back, so you can still read the message should you choose. I kept my wallet in my purse, however, and came home empty handed, but with some interesting crafty ideas!

Monday -- the 'August Bank Holiday' -- like Labor Day but without an ostensible honoree. Home this day, a little more active. We started the morning with the 'Best Breakfast on the Green' -- our local has started serving breakfast, and the menu is quite extensive, including some American treats. Note to Mel (the landlady), however: If you serve pancakes & bacon, the former should definitely outnumber the latter! A welcome addition to the food choices on the Green, though - and we'll definitely be back.

The afternoon saw us traipsing around the Gardens with friends -- and of course more food; tea and cakes this time. Movie on the couch in the evening, and sadly the 3-day weekend crept to a close, along with the summer. Bring on woolly jumpers and chilly nights, it's time for Autumn coziness!

Psycho Buildings

Finally made it to the Hayward this weekend at Southbank to see the Psycho Buildings exhibit -- phew, closing in 2 weeks so got there just under the wire. The exhibit has installations from a number of artists showing their take on architecture -- it's all quite fantastical, this is *not* an architecture show, it's an exhibition. I like the Hayward because it's not too big -- you can really take in a show in full, rather than feeling like you're rushing and only skimming by, like in so many massive museums.

There were about 10 - 11 pieces, each taking most of a room, and each taking a different take on space, enclosure, and architecture. My absolute favourite was Do Ho Suh's 'Fallen Star 1/5', which was an amazingly detailed 1/5 recreation of two homes from past (Korean and American) colliding, literally. It was reminscent of Dorthy's house colliding with the new amazing world of Oz. The way the exhibit was arranged, you first came across the piece from the outside -- seeing this simple Korean cottage crashed into the corner of a large New England-style home. And on the inside? Room after room showing the incredible detail from miniature Syracuse and Boston banners and a Rhode Island School of Design sweatshirt, to mini-Metallica posters (must be a boy's room!) And then all the internal destruction that would happen if one home collided with another. It was like a surreal take on the Smithsonian Dollhouse. (Oh, how I looooved to visit that dollhouse. And so wish I could find the book I once had elaborating room-by-room... )

Unfortunately, the Hayward wouldn't allow photos -- so the best I could do was this pic of the shot in the exhibit catalogue (hey -- I liked the show, but not enough to buy the book!)

I'm famous-ish

How cool is this?! My absolute favourite cross-stitch designer, Michael Powell Art, has started a stitcher's gallery, and my personalisation effort made it in! Here's a link to the 'standard' design from the little gems series, and here's my work in the gallery. (Stefanie from London, 2nd entry down - that's me!)

Today Michael Powell, tomorrow the world!

Dog-tastic

If I had a dog, I would make him wear this shirt. And looking at this site, the majority of the online dog-t-shirt buying public is Democrat as well... (or even non-buying, as my vote seems to have counted too!) Not that I take this as a very accurate poll, but still, it's cute.

Elton John beats my parents to 50 states...

And ol' Elt has stricter rules than our family's 'must eat in a state to count' guideline. Nope, to get on John's list of states, he has to perform. And last Monday, after 39 years of American shows, he added his 50th state -- Vermont!

And not only did he achieve the magical full complement of states -- but he got an even rarer treat: his own Ben & Jerry's icecream, Goodbye Yellow Brickle Road. Ok, I have no interest whatsoever in purchasing icecream described as "an outrageous symphony of decadent chocolate ice cream, peanut butter cookie dough, butter brickle and white chocolate chunks", but still, pretty cool. Congrats Reggie.

Up, up & away

Now really really congratulations & happy anniversary Mom & Dad -- and enjoy your balloon ride over the wilds of Seattle! (I was so keen on sending my best wishes I got a little ahead of myself this weekend & thought Saturday was the 21st!)

Look forward to seeing the pictures!

Left is all right

I always knew lefties were the better half -- but nice to have Frank Deford confirm it for me on NPR. And we all know statistics never lie! (er, but not so sure about the 'goofier' comment at the end of the article...)

Happy Ruby-versary Mom & Dad

Here's to many many more years of exciting, fantastic adventures!

Goodnight Bush...

I can't decide if I find this clever and amusing, or a sacriligeous desecration of a beloved classic... hmm...

Note to self: for any future holidays, be sure to plan an extra day between return home and back to work. Coming back 5pm Sunday evening and into work 8:30 Monday a.m. means it's Wednesday already and I'm still not fully unpacked!

Roll on the weekend is all I can say...

I'm hooked

The publishers of kidult novel The Knife of Never Letting Go appear to have done a deal with Starbucks -- if you use your coffee card, you get 'your exclusive taster' of the first three chapters of the book.

And it worked. I'm hooked. Three chapters of this story of the 'last boy in Prentisstown', some mysterious place where all the women have been killed by some virus, and the remaining men are going crazy because they can all hear each others thoughts has been enough to grab me. Yet another potential item to add to my 'things to buy when I'm in the US' list. Phew - better bring another suitcase!

Seven words I *can* say on my blog

Farewell George Carlin, you'll be @@!!$1&bleep@#$# missed!

Get your head in the game

Ok, I know I'm about a quarter-of-a-century too old for this... but how much do I want to see High School Musical: Live on Stage when it comes to the Hammersmith Apollo?? Anyone know any tweens I can borrow?

One stitch at a time

So, nine weeks and multiple seams, bindings, darts, pleats, tucks and more, my sewing class has ended, and I am the proud owner of one home-made (er, class-made) blouse, made by my own fair hands. And one Pfaff sewing machine. Ok, so the shoulders are a bit wonky. And so what if I can't actually wear it yet (the class ended before we got to buttons, and, more importantly, button holes) -- but minor points. I'm just excited to have sewn mostly straight seams, with sleeves and darts and everything, and you can recognise the (near) finished project as a piece of clothing, rather than a random collection of stitches.

And I feel 1000 times more comfortable with a sewing machine -- yay! On my way to fulfilling one of my 2008 resolutions: to make a quilt out of old running t-shirts.

Next step? Buy my own machine... just as soon as I clear some space off the table for it to go!

London 2012 Mascot

After the logo debacle, can LOCOG (er, London Olympics Committee Organizing Group??) choose a more acceptable mascot for the 2012 London Olympics. A talking phone box? A Spitting Image of the Queen? And how many previous mascots can you remember? I'm drawing a blank -- was there a Sam the Eagle in the US one year? Or is that the Muppets?

Happy birthday!

Happy Birthday Dad!

65?? You don't look a day over 30!

Belated farewell, Harvey Korman

Sigh... another person I remember from my childhood...especially his inability to keep a straight face in any sketch with Tim Conway. Thanks for the many laughs!

Fairy Tale Friday

So, I saw Sex and the City (the movie) Friday night and it was... just as I expected. Frothy, fun, frocks, and, er, feisty female friends... you get my drift. But I can't decide if I really liked it or not. Well, I laughed at the appropriate places, and oohed & ahhed over the amaaaazing apartment, and even got a little teary at the more emotional moments. So I guess I liked it. And, going with a group of 8 other women, dressed in our NYC finest (while a bit cliche, considering the other 80% of the audience doing the same thing) was enjoyable -- always a good night if I get to wear a favourite dress.

But was it any good? More undecided over that. I think Cynthia Nixon is by far the best actress of the 4 (perhaps having the most realistic story line helped). So well done her. But if it was trying to be more than a feel good fantasy, (which, by reading any of the nine million interviews with SJP that have been written, appears to have been their aim) I'm not sure they succeeded. The movie is a fairy tale, pure and simple.

And there's nothing wrong with that -- just don't attempt to be otherwise. I'm still not sure the point of having Carrie reading Cinderella to Charlotte's little girl Lily, and -- after quoting 'And they lived happily ever after' -- telling her oh-so-wisely, "Things don't always work out that way Lily -- you should know that sooner rather than later."

But if you watch this movie, the message is actually, things do work out that way. Down to the princess and her form-fitting slipper (Manolo, not glass in this case, but does the same trick).

So I say, SatC: TM -- embrace your fun and fantasy and friendship, and be happy to have crowds of women cheering along across the country and around the world. We can all use a fairy tale now and then. Just don't make it out to be any more than that.